Cairn drilling first ‘pure’ exploration well in Senegal since 2014

Cairn Energy is set to spud an exploration well at the FAN prospect offshore Senegal. The well is the first pure exploration well to be drilled there since the discovery wells of FAN-1 and SNE-1 in 2014 after a series of SNE appraisal wells.

According to Far Ltd, a partner in the Senegal joint venture with Cairn, the well, named FAN South-1, will assess the upside potential for improved reservoir presence and quality in the basin.

FAR assesses the FAN South prospect to contain 134 mmbbls of recoverable oil on a best estimate basis, with an 18% chance of success.

The South Fan prospect consists of several stacked reservoir targets. The well will be drilled to an estimated Total Depth (“TD”) of 5,317 meters in a water depth of 2,139 meters. The firm well plan for FAN South-1 includes logging programs prior to the well being plugged and abandoned.

FAN South-1 will be drilled on completion of the SNE-6 appraisal well which has now reached Total Depth and operations including wireline logging, collection of samples and drill stem testing are underway. SNE-6 has been drilled ahead of planned timing.

Managing Director, Cath Norman said: “It is great to be back drilling a pure exploration target offshore Senegal, and the first well in the basin play since our original FAN-1 discovery. We are drilling in a part of the basin where we expect to encounter improved reservoir presence and quality and gain valuable information in understanding the substantial potential of the large deep water basin area. With drilling continuing to progress ahead of schedule, without incident and safely, we look forward to bringing further news of the planned interference test in SNE-6 in the coming weeks.”

The well will be drilled with the Stena DrillMAX drillship, the same rig used for the SNE appraisal program. To remind, the SNE discovery made in 2014 was the largest offshore oil discovery of the year.

Cairn, as the operator, has a 40% working interest in the three blocks offshore Senegal (Sangomar Deep, Sangomar Offshore, Rufisque Offshore) alongside partners: Woodside 35% WI, Far Ltd 15% WI, and the Senegal National Oil Company, Petrosen 10% WI. Woodside entered the JV in 2016 after buying the stake in offshore blocks from ConocoPhillips.

The JV has endorsed the foundation development concept of a standalone FPSO with subsea wells and expansion capability. The potential around SNE for further exploration success would transform the project into a multi-phase development, Cairn said in March.

Offshore Energy Today Staff